Bitt chock



g- 13, 1953 c. G. HALPlNE 2,649,069

BITT-CHOCK iled Jan. 11, 1950 CHARLES 6. HALF/NE Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952),

sec. 266) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to checks and has a particular relation to chocks employed to hold a towing or mooring line in proper position on the object being towed or moored.

This application is an improved modification of the device of my patent No. 2,098,238 issued November 9, 1937, for Bitt-Chock.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a chock of the character described that is particularly adapted for use on seaplane floats where the lead of the tow line is appreciably upward and where there is a tendency for the tow line to become dislodged from the chock, due to the yaw or pitch of the float.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a chock of the type described which will permit the tow 1ine to be quickly and easily positioned therein but which will effectually prevent it from becoming displaced therefrom, irrespective of the angle of the tow line.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a chock of simple construction which may be cast as a unitary structure.

Another object of the invention is the use of tapered posts to provide for intimate marriage between adjacent passes of the line looped around the posts to make the line more secure in the chock.

With these and other objects in view, as well as other advantages that may be incident to the use of the improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, and with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be varied in proportion and arrangement without departing from the nature and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood, there are shown in the accompanying drawing, means for carrying the invention into practical use, without limiting the improvements in their useful application to the particular construction, which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the improved chock;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, on a smaller scale, illustrating the manner in which the invention may be employed as a combined chock and bitt.

Referring to the drawing, the improved chock is shown as comprising a base plate I0 adapted to be secured to the upper surface of a seaplane float or to the deck of a vessel by fastening means II passing through openings I2 formed in the base plate. Two vertically extending tapered posts I3 and I4 are carried by the base plate I0, preferably being cast integrally therewith, and are arranged approximately in a fore and aft spaced relation and slightly, but not necessarily, offset laterally with respect to one another. These posts l3 and I4 are formed with laterally extending horns or fingers I5 and I6 for preventing accidental displacement of the line in a vertical direction. The forward post I3 is also formed with an arm or extension I1 which projects laterally and then rearwardly toward the post I4 and terminates with a downwardly extending hook I8.

In practice, a tow line I9 is initially positioned within the chock by passing it beneath arm I! and hook I8 and then over the top of the post It. The running end of the line I9 may be made fast on a pair of bitts (not shown) located aft of the chock, or in any other suitable manner.

It will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 2, that with the described construction, the tow line may assume a plurality of different lateral positions without becoming disengaged from the chock, the post I3 and hook I8 limiting the swinging movement of the tow line in opposite directions. In view of the fact that the tow line nearly always extends upwardly at an angle to the surface of the water and is under tension, the hook I8 will prevent the line from escaping from beneath the extension I1.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated one method of securing the tow line to the chock. In this case, the tow line passes aft beneath the extension I'I, around the post I4, and thence forwardly around the post I3 and again beneath the extension in the conventional figure 8 manner. This method of securing the line dispenses with the use of bitts, the posts I3 and I4 themselves functioning as bitts.

Since the posts I3 and I 4 are tapered the loops of the line will tend to rise on the posts when drawn tightly and will provide an intimate marriage between the adjacent loops on each post as well as between the adjacent passes of the line between the posts. This will obviously make the line much more secure with fewer passes than would be possible with straight posts such as used in my prior patent.

It will be understood that the terms fore and aft have been employed for convenience of explanation, as the chock may be mounted on the stern where its position will be reversed. Also, it is not necessary to provide the posts I3 and 3 H on a common base, as these elements may be separately mounted.

Other modifications and changes in the proportions and arrangement of the parts of this device or other adaptations of its use may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes Without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim: g

1. A chock comprising an upwardly tapered post; and a second tapered post arranged in spaced relation to said first mentioned post, said posts being provided with extensions projecting laterally at the top of each post for preventing a line looped around them from slipping 01f said posts,and said extensions each having a lower surface substantially normal to its respective post.

2. A chock comprising a base and a pair of spaced tapered upright posts having lateral ex- 25 tensions at their tops, said extensions each having a lower surface substantially normal to its respective post, so that a line alternately looped around them in opposite directions, as in a figure 8 and placed under tension, will be held securely by reason of the adjacent loops on each post being pushed by the tapers against each other in the same direction, thus causing an increased marriage between the alternately crossed adjacent passes of the line at a point between the posts.

3. A chock as defined in claim 2 wherein the posts are both tapered upwardly.

CHARLES G. HALPINE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 533,603 McEvoy Feb. 5, 1895 2,098,238 Halpine Nov. 9, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 195,006 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1923 

